By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere on Saturday, tasked the Federal Government to change its style on tackling insecurity and confront it headlong.
Afenifere in a statement in Ibadan by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi said this became necessary in view of the spate of insecurity in and across the country.
According to Afenifere, there is the need for those in authority to realised that providing security and welfare are the primary duties of government, saying,” unfortunately, government has not lived up to expectations in these and many other respects.
Emphasizing that President Buhari ” can ameliorate the situation within the few months that his administration still have”, the Pan Yoruba socio political organization lamenting that it was unfortunate that the present government under President Muhammadu Buhari ” is not doing enough to stop terrorism and kidnapping incidents festering on a daily basis”.
Afenifere stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari, while presenting this year’s budget before the National Assembly early October, gave the assurance that insecurity would be substantially curtailed before his tenure comes to an end next year, adding, ” but since then, incidents of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism etc have escalated”.
” The situation became so dire that some countries have designated Nigeria as a terrorism-prone area to be kept at an arm’s length. Governments of the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark etc have asked their citizens to stay away from Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital”, it said
Afenifere added, ” To underscore the seriousness they put to the terror indications that they saw, some of these governments are even evacuating some of thier diplomatic staffers”.
Acknowledging efforts of security agencies at checkmating the antics of bandits and terrorists, Afenifere submitted that the intensity, regularity and ferocity of terrorism acts in the country “tend to suggest that the terrorists and bandits are ahead of the government in the game. Whereas the opposite was supposed to be the case”.
Afenifere however highlighted the possible ways government can tackle the problem as ” allow States that are so desired to have thier own Police Services” as this should devolve down to the local and community levels.
“Stop the kid glove treatment being given to arrested bandits and terrorists.
“Expedite action on the trials of apprehended terrorists and bandits.
“Clearly demonstrate that we are all equal before the law and that no individual, group or tribe should enjoy preferential treatment over and above the others.
“Needed equipment and incentives should be provided for security agencies to enable them discharge their duties responsibly.
“That machinery be set in motion quickly to have the country restructured in such a manner that every region or area would be operating under a true federal system.”
